| THE HOPE OF CHRISTMAS Matthew 1:18-25 11-30-08 Sometimes things don’t work out the way we had hoped. But as Christians when we look back we can see that God was there all the time. A couple was excited that their daughter was engaged to a young man and was hoping that they would be planning a wonderful future together. Thus they invited him over for supper one night hoping to find out more about him and his plans for the future. After a delicious supper the father took the young man into his study for a talk. "So what are your plans for the future?" the father asked the young man. "I’m a biblical scholar," he replied. "Ahhh…," said the father. "So how do you intend to buy her a beautiful engagement ring, such as my daughter deserves?" asked the father. "Oh, God will provide," said the young man. "Well, how will you provide a nice home for my daughter to live in?" asked the father. "I will concentrate on my studies," said the young man, "and God will provide for us." "And children?" asked the father, "How will you support them?" "Don’t worry sir, God will provide." The conversation proceeded like this for some time and each time the father asked something the young man insisted that God would provide. Later the wife asked her husband "how did it go?" "Honey," her husband said, "He has no job, no plans and he thinks I’m God." We do have a God that will provide all of our needs, but He does expect us to do our part. I wonder what went through Joseph’s mind that is not recorded in God’s Word. I looked for some of Joseph’s sayings and couldn’t find any. We assume that his words are recorded, because we imagine him talking with Mary and with the Angel, and with the Innkeeper. Joseph most likely thought that his life was pretty well planned. He was engaged to be married and an engagement at that time was legally binding. His marriage, his vocation, his life, were all neatly planned. What a happy time this had to be in his life. But, all at once his world came crashing down. He discovered that his bride-to-be is expecting. WOW -- talk about a surprise! This was impossible. He and Mary had not been together in that respect. Joseph, no doubt, was deeply troubled and pondered what to do. No doubt he felt like Mary had been unfaithful to him. We are not told when he was told the news, or how he was told the news. But we know that Joseph was a man of high principles, for even before the angel of the Lord spoke with him, he wanted to do the right thing, in the right way. Friends, there is a lesson here for us. Do the right thing, and do it in the right way. He wanted to take care of the situation in such a way that Mary would not be disgraced. I see Joseph as a humble man, one who would be a good provider, and a protector of the family. Those characteristics are good for any husband to have. In all of the Christmas pageants that are given, Joseph doesn’t have much of a part. But his part was of the up-most importance. His main responsibility was to watch over his wife and the newborn child. Which he did! You ever ask yourself, "How can this be?" Joseph most likely cried out, "HOW CAN THIS BE?" But, if we listen, we can hear a still small voice, saying to us, as the angel said to Joseph, "Trust God." You see, God's ways are not always our ways. It has been said that the best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother. Joseph truly loved Mary. Instead of being angry, Joseph accepted this child as his own. Joseph accepted the will of God. He followed the leading of the Lord, going from Nazareth to Bethlehem. From Bethlehem to Egypt and then back to Nazareth. AND, he did not have the transportation that we have today. Joseph became a father to the Messiah. We think being a father is hard work, which of course it is, if you are going to be a good one. But can you imagine for a moment, attempting to be an earthly father to the Son of God? It was Joseph who was charged with naming their son, and thus defining His mission. The name Jesus means ”Savior”. I’m not saying that Joseph was a perfect father, but I do believe it is safe to say that he was a good father. There’s a lot we would like to know about Joseph. Where, and when he was born, how he spent his days, and how he did he died. The last we hear of Joseph was when he made the trip to Jerusalem with Mary and Jesus when Jesus was 12 years old. But you know, there is still a lot we can learn from the life of Joseph. First of all, Joseph teaches us to accept God’s will, whatever it might be. Joseph was open to the will of God, and the leading of God. Oh, if only more of God’s people would be open to His leading, and His will today. Joseph trusted God when it was the hardest to do; and thus we know that he was a man of faith. It doesn’t require much faith to trust God when things are going well. It is when one is being tested, or things are not going the way we desire that one’s faith is revealed. We read in Verses 24 and 25 “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son." I imagine that Joseph and Mary both were faced with a lot of questions that was hard to answer because no one was going to believe them. They lived in a small town, and no doubt there were a lot of busy bodies. Mary is expecting, and they have only been married for a couple of months. Gossip and embarrassment --that was part of the price they had to pay for their love for one another, and for their love for God. Christians are to live by faith. We learn from Joseph that we need to care about others. Joseph cared more about Mary and the child she was carrying than himself. Can you imagine what our lives would be like if we were to put others before ourselves? Truly Christmas is the best time for us to do that, isn’t it? The people living at the time of Jesus’ birth did not realize that the hope of the Messiah would be found in Joseph, for he was of the line of David. Just like many living today do not realize that the hope of eternal life is found in Jesus Christ, and in Him alone. Because Christ came, we have a blessed hope of heaven. How sad this world would be if there was no hope beyond the grave. Christmas is a great reminder of the hope that we have because Christ came so many years ago. As we enter the Advent Season I trust that we will experience once again, “The Hope” that is found in Christ, and in Him alone. Our hope is not in ourselves, not in any other human being, but in the Son of God, who was born so long ago, to take away our fears, our doubts, and to instill within us a Blessed hope. Christmas is a time to remember the hope that is found in the Son of God. Jesus is our hope and I invite you to experience again the hope that is found in Him and in Him alone. Christmas is a time of remembering God’s great love, and the hope that is given to all who accept Christ as the Messiah, and as Lord and Savior. |
 | |  |